Archive for November, 2009
Re-battery carbon monoxide alarm?
A concerned householder asks
The batteries have expired on my carbon monoxide alarm. The batteries (two AA’s) are located under a plastic cover which states:
Once fitted this cover CANNOT be removed.
This is clearly incorrect as I removed it with a blunt screwdriver and a deft twist of the wrist.
Is there a good safety reason that this device implies that it cannot be re-batteried or am I safe to pop in a couple of AA’s and breathe the sweet fumes of my gas fire?
One pearl of wisdom on “Re-battery carbon monoxide alarm?”
Provide common sense...
Frost on my salad
A concerned gardener asks
Last night we experience the first frost of the winter when the temperature dropped to 2°C. What will this mean for all my salad leaves? I have a good crop of rocket and an excellent crop of nasturtiums that I am keen to maximise production from. Will they survive this light frost or should I harvest everything now? What can I do with lots of rocket and nasturtiums? Can I make a nice soup?
4 lacklustre pieces of inspiration on “Frost on my salad”
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Consultant K Says:
November 9th, 2009 at 12:32 pmMost lettuce and nasturtiums will not survive a hard frost and so I would recommend that next year you harvest before a hard frost or purchase some fleece to protect them over night. Only a few of the salad crops survive a hard frost and are mainly the spinaches and leaf beats. Good luck for next year.
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I want an answer Says:
November 9th, 2009 at 12:41 pmYes, but what can the feckless eejit do with his crop if harvested after the frost? What can one do with bulk rocket?
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November 9th, 2009 at 1:17 pmcompost it or eat mush
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Soup or six Says:
November 9th, 2009 at 2:10 pmThere are plenty of soups you could make. Try this basic starter:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/rocketandpotatosoup_76750.shtml
Provide common sense...
Drinking Water Supply
One of our more remote readers wonders
Can you come up with a way of stopping frogs getting stuck in the water filter? Or should I just not worry and have frog flavoured water?
2 lacklustre pieces of inspiration on “Drinking Water Supply”
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Jonny English Says:
November 9th, 2009 at 12:17 pmCall in the French!
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Consultant C Says:
November 9th, 2009 at 12:23 pmAre you sure that’s the filter? Looks rather like a ballcock to me and I know a thing or two about those. Either way, replace it as it looks knackered.
To deal with the problem, drain the tank then remove the frogs, dead or otherwise. Give it a good clean, flush, refill and seal the lid and any other potential entry points for frogs.
Bish, bash, bosh: job’s done.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Well, the issue is not to do with the batteries but the sensor. I am led to believe that the sensor within these devices had a limited life and so replacing the batteries may give it power but it may also only give power to a defunct sensor. As this is a matter of life and death I would err on the side of caution and buy a new one.